Truck.



B. A.- BALLINGER.

1 TRUCK. APPLICIATION FILED APR. 14, 1910.

990,416. Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Fig.1

Jnve ni'or- 7HE NORRIS rr1c as co wasumcmlv n c v BERT A. BALLINGER, OFLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

7 Application filed April 14, 1910. Serial No. 555,537.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERT A. BALLINGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a certain new and useful Truck, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a hand truck for transporting merchandise,barrels and other heavy articles, and has for its object to provide atruck capable of being readily and quickly converted into a dolly truckfor moving such weighty commodities as safes and pianos which cannot behandled with a push or pull truck.

Other objects will appear from the following specification and claims,in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1,invention. same showing in dotted position of the forward lip when thetruck is to be used for large wares; the handle, in dotted lines, isshown in the position it occupies when the truck is to be drawn on allfour wheels. Fig. 3, is a side elevation showing the handle slightly.extended and the position of the truck when the same is used as a handtruck, and Fig. 1, is a fragmentary enlarged view showing the provisionof hinges in the forward end of the guide strips.

The truck comprises a table, 1, provided with a pair of wheels 2. On theunderside of the table 1, are secured two rods or bars 3 extendingslightly beyond the edges of the table, which bars or'rods form thepivot points for two arms 4., made integral with a lip 5, Which extendsbeyond and free of the forward edge of the table 1. In the said tableare housed two stems 6, provided with bent-up ends 7. The stems are heldnormally protruding through orifices 8, in the arms at, by helicalsprings 9. When the bent-up portions of the stems are pressed towardeach other by the fingers, the ends of the stems are retracted allowingthereby the arms 4L and the lip 5, to drop in the position shown indotted lines Fig. 2, in which position the uppermost edge of the lip 5,is below the surface of the table 1. The movement of the said lip to apoint lower than that indicated is prevented by lugs 10, secured to thebottom of the table 1, and on which lugs the arms a rest when the is abottom plan view of my Fig. 2, 1s a side elevation of the lines thedropped pins 6 are withdrawn. The said lip and the arms 4 are then heldin the lowered position when the stems (S, resume their nor mal positionunder the tension of the springs 9. On the bottom of said table are twoguide strips 11, provided with grooves 12. Between said guide strips 11,is a handle 13, provided with a reinforcement 14, in the end thereof,and with two pins 15, extending and arranged to travel in the grooves 12of the strips 11, when the handle 13 is withdrawn. On said handle isfastened a bar 17, provided at intervals with holes 18, in which a stud19 of a spring latch 20 engages when the handle has been drawn out tothe desired length. This provision is made for the purpose of increasingthe leverage of the truck when tilted, and also to permit of thetransportation of such articles as are larger than the area of the truckbody where the truck is used as a push truck. Said guide strips 11, attheir free ends are provided with U-shaped hinges 21, which form pivotalbearings for the aforementioned pins 15, when the handle is drawn out toits fullest extent, allowing thereby of the free movement of the samefor pulling the truck. On the bottom of said table are pivoteduniversally movable casters 22, whereby the truck may be moved in anydirection when used as a dolly truck or a pull truck. When used fortransportation of ordinary articles, the truck occupies the positionshown in Fig. 3, the handle 13, being left in its normal position asshown in Fig. 1, or extended as shown in Fig. 3, to increase theleverage.

That I claim, is

1. A truck comprising a table provided with a pair of wheels and a pairof universally movable casters, a lip pivoted to and extending slightlybeyond the forward end of said table, a plurality of spring-actuatedstems engaging said lip to hold same in nor mal position, means towithdraw said stems from engagement with said lip to cause said lip todrop below the surface of said table, a handle extensibly connected withsaid table, and a latch connected with said table and arranged to engagesaid handle to lock same at various points of extension.

2. A truck comprising a table provided with a pair of wheels and a pairof universally movable casters, a lip pivotedto the 1 forward end andadjustable relatively to the l surface of said table, means to lock saidlip in position of adjustment, a handle on the bottom and disposedcentrally of said table, said handle being extensible relatively to saidtable, and means to lock said handle at various points of extension.

3. A truck comprising a table provided with a pair of wheels and a pairof casters, a lip, means to normally suspend said lip at the forward endof said table, said means being actuable to release said lip from itssuspended position whereby to cause the same to drop below the surfaceof the table, an extensible handle connected with said table, saidhandle being provided with pins, means on said table to prevent thecomplete withdrawal of said handle and forming piv otal bearings forsaid pins, and means to lock said handle in any position of extension.

4. A truck comprising a table provided with a pair of wheels and a pairof casters, a lip, means to normally suspend said lip, said means beingoperable to release said lip from its suspended position whereby tocause the same to drop below the surface of said table, a plurality ofgrooved guides on said table provided at one end thereof with hinges, anextensible handle between said guides and provided with pins extendingand arranged to travel in the grooves of said guides, said pins beingarranged to engage said hinges when said handle is entirely withdrawn, aperforated bar on said handle, and a springactuated latch engaging saidperforations to lock said handle in various positions of ex tension whennot entirely withdrawn.

5. A truck comprising a table provided with a pair of wheels and a pairof universally movable casters, a lip pivoted to said table andextending slightly beyond the forward end thereof, spring controlledmeans engaging said lip to hold same in normal position and actuable torelease said lip to cause same to drop below the surface of said table,a handle disposed centrally of said table and extensible relativelythereto, a means to lock said handle at various points of extensionwhereby to push said truck in tilted position, and means to pivotallyconnect said handle, when entirely withdrawn, with said table whereby topull the truck.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

BERT A. BALLINGER.

WVitnesses ANTON GLoE'rZNER, J12, F. J. MCCLARY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

- Washington, D. C.

